We’ve heard this story a few times by this point. Michael Jordan needed to regain those basketball chops, so he found a practice squad that was a perfect mix of amateur and NBA experience, and didn’t hold back. Among the practice buddies who got their sensibility destroyed was Craig Robinson. His sister would later become the First Lady of the United States, but Robinson would stick to basketball. He’s narrated this story a few times since then. But few know this experience is tied to the unexpected reunion two decades later.

Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson hosted Michelle Obama and her brother, Craig Robinson, on All the Smoke since the famous siblings have entered the podcasting business. Robinson, who grew up in Chicago’s hoops culture, now has a platform in the IMO podcast to tell his Michael Jordan stories.

Robinson’s NBA career didn’t work out as expected. But he had the right amount of experience to help MJ get back into NBA shape after playing baseball for a year and a half. As he confirmed to Matt and Stak, MJ did ‘cook’ them. Stak even said that’s why MJ is the greatest.

Robinson and the other amateurs were replaced by NBA pros as soon as Jordan felt he was ready for advanced workouts. MJ would come back and win three more championships with the Bulls before retiring. Craig was sure his existence was out of MJ’s mind, even though his sister and brother-in-law had several public encounters with the GOAT.

Then, in 2020, the former NBA commissioner, David Stern, passed away. A memorial was held in Radio City Music Hall a few days before Kobe and Gianna Bryant’s fatal helicopter crash. Several legends in the basketball world gathered, including MJ. Robinson, who ran into MJ. The meeting, as he recalled to Stak and Barnes, went completely differently from how he imagined.

Over five years since he met Jordan again, Robinson told the All the Smoke hosts that he was surprised the legend remembered their practice skirmishes at all.  “I always assume that he doesn’t remember me from that,“ he claimed. “We were at … David Stern’s funeral or memorial … in New York City, and I’m walking past and I was like ‘Mike, Craig Robinson,’” he said before revealing Jordan’s reaction. “He’s like, ‘I remember you, man. Stop…’” That ‘stop’ had bro vibes written all over it.

Michael Jordan left Michelle Obama’s brother emotional

The 76ers selected Robinson in the 1983 draft, but he never made the cut in the first team, instead taking his talent overseas. He got his first taste of NBA-level competition in these workouts with Michael Jordan. After fouling Robinson, Jordan helped him up, too. “‘Craig, you okay?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, appreciate.’ He’s like, ‘Then get the f— up.'” 

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That’s the most Jordan thing. Robinson finally saw what the likes of Oakley and Barkley experienced. He literally felt scared that MJ was going to come down on his leg and break it decades ago.

But that was an unofficial practice tailored for MJ against amateurs. He didn’t think he was memorable, though years later, his brother-in-law, Barack Obama, was bestowing the Presidential Medal of Freedom on the NBA champion. Obama would also feature in The Last Dance, that released in 2020 which showing footage from MJ’s comeback practices while filming Space Jam.

So being remembered by this icon made Robinson a bit emotional. “It’s, you know, how he is. He’s just… he’s his mind is as sharp as his game. U but it was a real it was it was a real treat. Great experience.” What would make this perfect is if MJ came on the IMO podcast. Or All the Smoke. We’re not picky.